Secondment/ Fixed term until March 2026 due to Service Delivery.
*Secondment Opportunity – Existing permanent employees must first discuss this opportunity with their substantive line manager and complete the secondment request form prior to interview. The secondment request form and the associated secondment policy can be found on the HR/Recruitment intranet pages and must be completed and signed by the substantive line manager. The Candidate should then take it with them to interview as confirmation that an agreement has been granted.
An opportunity has arisen for a dynamic and forward-thinking individual to lead the Patient Relations Department at NHS Forth Valley. This Band 8A role offers a unique development pathway for experienced operational or clinical managers seeking to broaden their strategic leadership skills in a high-impact environment.
As Operational Manager, you will work alongside the Patient Relations Team Lead and Director of Nursing to oversee the strategic management of our Patient Relations Department, which is responsible for handling complaints across the organisation. This is a fast-paced, evolving service with a corporate remit to ensure complaints and Care Opinion are managed in line with both national and local standards.
Key responsibilities include:
1. Leading the delivery of national and local key performance indicators (KPIs)
2. Driving service design, improvement, and delivery across the department
3. Managing complex complaints with empathy and professionalism
4. Building strong relationships with patients, families, and multidisciplinary staff
5. Overseeing clinical governance, reporting functions, and departmental budget management
6. Ensuring high-quality written communication for internal and external reporting
7. Monitoring and managing the departmental budget to deliver the service with maximum efficiency within the financial envelope
We’re seeking a critical thinker with a proven ability to lead teams, manage complex issues, and deliver service excellence. You’ll need to demonstrate strong operational and line management experience, expertise in service delivery and redesign, exceptional written and verbal communication skills and a compassionate, approachable leadership style. Experience in managing complexity is essential.
Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.
Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e-mail, therefore please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders) and your Jobtrain account for updates.
NHS Forth Valley is positive about disabled people and is committed to offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job. Please contact the Recruitment Office on 0330 041 4694 if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to assist you with your application and/or interview.
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.